All Eyes On Illinois' 6th District In 2018

WHEATON, IL — All eyes are on Illinois' 6th Congressional District as the 2018 primaries loom. Seven opponents are challenging Rep. Pete Roskam (R-IL6) for his seat in a contest that Politico calls the top House race to watch in 2018.

The district has historically voted Republican, but after Trump lost the district to Clinton, many believe it's possible to "flip the 6th." "Flip the 6th" has long been a rallying cry among some of Roskam's constituents, who point to the representative's heavy involvement in the recent controversial Republican tax bill as one of the reasons he should be replaced.

Roskam faces seven challengers, but as of October, he had a healthy financial advantage over all of them. At that time, he had raised $1.35 million, nearly $1 million more than Democrat Kelly Mazeski of Barrington Hills.

The backlash against Roskam began long before the tax bill. Many constituents were opposed to Roskam's repeated votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Still others have expressed frustration with the lawmaker's refusal to hold an in-person town hall.

As opposition to Roskam keeps mounting in the form of protests —and now that Doug Jones has flipped the historically red state of Alabama— it seems the hotly contested race for Illinois' 6th District will be even more worth watching.

>>Image credit: AP Images/Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press